Kevin Westerling Articles

Kansas City’s Smart Sewer program represents the nation’s first federal consent decree to include green infrastructure solutions in the reduction of wastewater overflows, as well as the city’s largest infrastructure investment to date. Projects that include the words “first” and “largest” do not come along without the strong leadership of a “Water Champion” such as Special Assistant City Manager Andy Shively, PE, who shares his experience and expertise in this Q&A.

The U.S. EPA has a job to do despite having its financial and human resources trimmed by the new presidential administration. Three U.S. EPA Office of Water directors, presenting at the 2017 Water & Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association (WWEMA) Washington Forum, laid out action plans for addressing the nation's most pressing water-quality threats in a manner that can (or must) achieve results efficiently.

The labor crisis at water and wastewater utilities across the U.S. is well documented, but answers to the problem — a graying workforce retiring en masse, resulting in both physical vacancies and knowledge gaps to fill — are much harder to find.

“Water Champion” Paula Kehoe looks to do for the nation what she did for San Francisco — to greatly expand water reuse opportunities and implementation. In this Q&A, she discusses her new role as chair of a national commission for onsite non-potable reuse, the San Francisco model, and the best practices and obstacles for sustainable water operations.

This January, a national leader emerged with a plan to shake up the status quo, touting a “business” approach to rectify historic “inadequacies” of our system. And we should all be on board with the plan, because it means potentially great things for the water and wastewater industry.